Western Ghats: K`taka govt defers taking decision on heritage tag

Bangalore: Karnataka Government today deferred taking any decision on the UNESCO declaring 10 locations of Western Ghats in the state as heritage spots.

Though the issue was mentioned at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, it was not discussed, sources told PTI here.

"Since it is a sensitive matter, we did not discuss it at this meeting," the sources said.

Forests Minister C P Yogheshwar had on Wednesday said a final decision would be taken in the next cabinet meeting over UNESCO`s decision, adding that such a tag could lead to the eviction of tribals from the Western Ghats.

The UNESCO recently gave world heritage spot tag to 10 locations in Western Ghats for being an ecological hotspot.

Two years ago, a UNESCO study team, headed by Dr Wendis and principal conservator of forests Dr Swaminathan had visited Kodagu and Chikmagalur and had to face the ire of locals in Kodagu.

The 1600-km long Western Ghats mountain chain starts at the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra and runs through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala before ending at Kanyakumari.